Google and Belle W. Baruch Foundation team up for groundwater resource research
November 13, 2019
The Belle W. Baruch Foundation is the proud recipient of a grant from Google to support and expand current groundwater resource research at its leading Lowcountry ecology research reserve, Hobcaw Barony. The focus of the study is to improve South Carolina’s groundwater understanding and management.
“Ongoing research at Hobcaw Barony serves to increase our understanding of complex groundwater systems and how these systems can be managed to continually provide benefits to society. We are grateful for Google’s commitment to expanding this research,” said George Chastain, Executive Director of Hobcaw Barony.
The partnership and grant began in February 2019 to support hydrology and water quality research at the Clemson University Belle W. Baruch Institute of Coastal Ecology and Forest Science. Results from this research will be placed in context with other existing groundwater research at Hobcaw Barony, such as wells monitored by the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources (S.C. DNR) and South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (S.C. DHEC), to identify possible connections between surface phenomena and deeper resource areas.
“At Google, we strive to build sustainability into everything we do. Our operations are designed to get the most out of technology, while also being mindful of our use of natural resources,” said Lilyn Hester, Head of Southeast Public Affairs. “Our partnership with the Baruch Foundation shows our dedication to maintaining sustainability.”
The Belle W. Baruch Foundation is a private nonprofit organization created to support ecological research through the colleges and universities in South Carolina. The Foundation owns and manages Hobcaw Barony, a 16,000-acre coastal reserve dedicated to teaching and research. Both Clemson University and the University of South Carolina operate research labs on the property with the expertise to study and understand complex forested, agricultural, urban and marine ecosystems.
